Photo: ASP
Despite rumours of certain brands not backing the new ZoSea-managed tour, next year’s world tour schedule is looking very similar to this year’s, bar the new welcome addition of Margaret River. This year’s new Oakley Pro Bali stop will be maintained for 2014.

“There’s a huge commitment from new management to the core principles of our sport in putting the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves,” Kieren Perrow said. “The 2014 ASP Men’s WCT, ASP Women’s WCT and qualification tours are designed to produce the world’s most comprehensive and exciting surfers. There’s a lot happening within the sport next year and it’s a very exciting time for professional surfing.”

For the first time in competitive surfing’s 37-year history, next season will be the first time all of professional surfing’s initiatives from production to athlete care to marketing to operations to media and onwards will be centralized under the purview of the ASP, creating a well-resourced, fan-centric and athlete focused entity committed to celebrating the sport.

“As our transitional year draws to a close and we look ahead to 2014, we’re very excited by the passion, enthusiasm and interest with which our athletes and events as well as new and core media and sponsorship partners have supported us with,” Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said. “Our foundational media platform with Google YouTube, Facebook/Instagram and ESPN is in place and we’ll be announcing our respective international linear broadcast partners in the coming weeks.”

“We truly have, in my opinion, one of the most dynamic and impressive global sporting properties in the world,” Speaker continued. “The more time I spend with our athletes, the more I come to respect them, their accomplishments and their affinity with the most dangerous and alluring frontier on the planet. We have tremendous admiration for the culture and heritage of the sport and we’re humbled and honored to be stewarding professional surfing into this next era of excellence. Good luck to our remaining competitors around the globe this season and we look forward to a huge 2014.”

For the Women’s WCT, next season will boast a nine-event schedule, including the addition of world-class venues Fiji, Trestles and Hossegor to the celebrated events of the Gold Coast, Margaret River, Bells Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Huntington Beach and Cascais.

“2014 will see the most talented collective of female surfers ever assembled in the ASP Top 17 and the new tour schedule is befitting of their talent,” Jessi Miley-Dyer, ASP Women’s World Tour Manager, said. “New ASP management have an unprecedented dedication to providing a quality platform upon which the world’s best female surfers can perform and that’s evident in the addition of major events to the 2014 schedule. Next year will be the most exciting year in the history of women’s surfing thus far, without a doubt.”

2014 ASP Men’s World Championship Tour (WCT) Schedule:

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast – March 1 – 12, 2014
Margaret River Pro – April 2 – 13, 2014
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach – April 16 – 27, 2014
Billabong Rio Pro – May 7 – 18, 2014
Fiji Pro – June 1 – 13, 2014
Bali Pro – June 17 – 28, 2014
Billabong Pro Teahupoo – August 15 – 26, 2014
Hurley Pro at Trestles – September 9 – 20, 2014
Quiksilver Pro France – September 25 – October 6, 2014
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal – October 8 – 19, 2014
Billabong Pipe Masters – December 8 – 20, 2014

2014 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) Schedule:

Roxy Pro Gold Coast – March 1 – 12, 2014
Margaret River Pro – April 2 – 13, 2014
Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach – April 16 – 27, 2014
Rio Women’s Pro – May 7 – 18, 2014
Fiji Women’s Pro – May 25 – 30, 2014
Vans US Open of Surfing – July 27 – August 3, 2014
Trestles Women’s Pro – September 9 – 20, 2014
Hossegor Women’s Pro – September 23 – 29, 2014
EDP Cascais Women’s Pro – October 1 – 6, 2014